Potty Train Your Child in 3 Days!

Many new parents have a million and one questions when it comes time to potty train their little ones. I have always heard that potty training boys is much harder than girls. Even though my son is not yet ready to be potty trained, the time is approaching rapidly and I wanted to be sure that I have all the information for when that time comes, so I did some research on the subject.

During my search throughout the world wide web, I found a method that claims to have your child potty trained in just three days! Amazed by this accusation, I had to read further into the article.

My first question was how do I know when my child is ready? According to WebMD, this is a very crucial part in potty training. A child must be both physically and emotionally ready before you can begin to potty train. Some signs that your child may be ready to potty train are 1. They show signs of bowel and bladder control. If your child moves his/her bowels around the same time everyday and can stay dry through a nap or two hour intervals, this may be a sign. 2. Your child has mastered his/her basic motor skills and can climb, walk, talk, and remove clothing. 3. Your child may be starting to refer to him/herself as a big boy or girl 4. Your child does not want to wear diapers and would rather wear pull-ups or underwear. Of course these are just a few signs to watch for, remember every child is different and your child may be showing only a couple of these signs but do not get discouraged. If you do not feel like your child is ready, then don't try it. If you start potty training too soon, the whole process can become much more complicated for your child to learn.

After deciding that BOTH you and your child are ready, it's good to have a game plan. A couple weeks before the potty training begins, come up with a 'potty dance' that you and your child can do each time a member of the family uses the potty. This will give the child some incentive to want to try using the potty if you can turn it into something fun. Another suggestion I read was to take your child to the bathroom with you and demonstrate how the potty is used. When you're done, feel free to do the potty dance and make it a routine each time.

If you are going to try the three day potty training method, my suggestion is to either do it on a weekend, or if you're able, to take three consecutive days off work so that you can be home with your child. On the evening before the potty training marathon, place several potty chairs around the house. If you do not want to use this step, you can supplement it by just putting a potty chair in each bathroom in the house. This will limit the risk of having accidents if you can quickly get to a potty when the time is right.

With potty chairs in place, let day one begin. Babycenter.com suggests letting your child be completely naked while at home, and when you go out, to only put loose fitting pants on your child with no diaper or pull ups. This rule can be controversial. Some people may not be comfortable having their child run around naked, or without anything under their pants. This can also be supplemented by having your child wear only underpants and a shirt while at home. For the entire first day, my personal suggestion is to have your child sit on the potty every half hour to and hour. This will reduce the chances of having an accident and get your child used to sitting on the potty for a few minutes at a time. Every time your child is successful, make sure you do the potty dance. As the day goes on, you can increase the intervals between potty usages. Before naps and bedtime, make sure your child uses the potty. Babycenter reminds us readers to never ASK your child if they need to go, because they will usually say no.

Day two continues the potty success. Follow the instructions for day one. The only change in day two is an afternoon outing. You and your child may go out of the house for an hour on this day. Make sure your child uses the potty before you leave the house, and as soon as he/she does, leave immediately. Your child will start to associate using the potty to being able to go outside and will give him/her more incentive to try. The authors at Babycenter recommend bringing a change of clothes and not going too far from home. Perhaps a walk around the neighborhood if it's a nice day.

Day three wraps up the potty training weekend. Again, you will follow the instructions for day one, with just a few changes. On this day, you and your child can leave the house once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Following the instructions from day two, will insure that you keep accidents to a minimum.

After the potty training weekend is completed, Babycenter recommends allowing your child to continue to be naked at home for the next few months. Again, this is up to you as parents. Of course there will be accidents here and there, but do not get discouraged. If your child does have an accident make sure you do not get angry. Instead, explain to your child that that is what the potty is for, and then help him/her clean up the mess.

Potty training can be a fun experience for you and your child. Forget the horror stories your friends and family will tell you and trust your instincts. Chances are, your child will tell you when he/she is ready. You just need to look for the signs and follow the steps!



Works Cited:
www.webmd.com/parenting/tc/toilet-training-topic-overview
www.babycenter.com/toddler-potty-training-advice

Teenagers and Drunk Driving During Prom and Graduation Season By: Bev Gayman

Prom and Graduation season is here again-this is a time for celebration. Our teen’s are becoming young adults and are ready to conquer the world. This is a happy time for them, marking the end of the school year (the end of high school for the seniors), and the beginning of summer. Unfortunately, these joyous occasions sometimes involve underage drinking which can result in tragedy. During the month of April many communities conduct anti-drinking campaigns aimed at curtailing alcohol use before, during and after these events. Some groups utilize some form of “sober contract”, a promise that students sign agreeing to stay alcohol and drug free during the prom and graduation season. Larger cities, such as New York and Los Angelas have gone as far as, at the event itself, have begun using breathalyzers to test the blood alcohol content of prom-goers and turning away at the door those who have been drinking.

A survey of 11th- and 12th-grade students finds that 90 percent believe that their peers are more likely to drink and drive on prom night, but few think that the behavior carries a high degree of risk.The survey of more than 2,500 students, conducted by Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), found that 79 percent of students expected their classmates to drink and drive on graduation night. More than one in three students also said their parents had let them attend a party knowing that alcohol would be served.

"Newspapers, television, YouTube and Facebook are rife with tales of tragedy from reckless driving on prom and graduation nights, yet an 'it won't happen to me' attitude continues to be so pervasive among our teens. Add to the alcohol factor distractions like texting or talking on the cellphone while driving, or the greater likelihood of multiple people in the car, and the crash potential is very real.

Statistics show that more than one-third of youth under the age of 21 killed in alcohol-related fatalities in 2001 died during the months of April, May and June, prom and graduation season. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2001 alone, 2,950 children under the age of 21 died in alcohol related traffic fatalities – 1,012 of these died during the months of April, May and June. A survey conducted last year by The Century Council revealed that more than half of the respondent’s ages 13-20 years-old reported they are drinking alcoholic beverages.

As parent's, we have a resposibility to talk to our children, set a good example. There are several sites that tell us how and when to talk to them about drugs and alcohol. Here are some safety tips to help make their special night safe.

Travel Safely

• Always wear a seat belt.
  
• Don't drink and drive.
  
• Don't ride with a diver who has been drinking.
  

Respect Yourself

• Don't allow yourself to be the victim of dating abuse.
  
• Respect yourself and others, avoid alcohol and drugs.
  
• Call 9-1-1 if you or someone you know is being abused.
  

Going to After-Prom Parties

• Be sure there will be adult supervision.
  
• Make sure there is a scheduled end time.
  
• Go with a "buddy."
  
• Avoid using alcohol or drugs.

There are so many senseless deaths every year during this wonderful season. Don’t drink and drive we don’t want any empty seats at graduation.

"A child who reaches age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using drugs is virtually certain never to do so."

- Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President, The National Center on Addiction and

Click below to watch you tube video on drug and alcohol abuse.

Add to

Car Seat: Why choose to keep your child rear facing longer?

When I think of milestones I always thought of turning my daughter’s car seat forward as a big girl milestone. I thought it meant she was growing and now would have a better view of the world around her in the car. To me this meant when she dropped a book or her sippy I now could hand it to her easier. But little did I know by turning the car seat forward I was now exposing my baby to new risks in the world.

The rule my daughter’s pediatrician told us up until recently is when she turned one and was also 20lbs we could option to turn her car seat around. My daughter didn’t hit 20lbs until she turned 16-­months because she is rather small. It wasn’t until after that I had heard of the newer information. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as well as many other reliable sources says now the recommendation is to keep your child rear facing until they are at least 2 years old or reach their highest weight or height allowed by their child’s car seat’s manufacturer. There are many carseat’s out there today that let you extend the rear facing time for your child I personally have the Safety First Complete Air Car Seat.

There are many reasons behind why not just the NHTSA but also the American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending not turning your child forward facing until you have to. One of those reasons is according to an article in the Journal Injury Prevention ,which can be found here http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/13/6/398.abstract ,the rear facing car seats restraining 1 year olds in crashes from 1988-2003 were 15% higher in effectiveness than the forward facing car seats. Another shocker I found is children under two restrained by a rear facing car seat are 75% less likely to die or have a serious injury (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/121/3/619). Personally, I think that 75% alone yells at me to keep my child’s car sear rear facing. But there is more.

According to several articles one of the main reasons keeping your child’s car seat is more recommended has to do with the head, neck, and spine. When a car gets in a wreck and the car seat is facing forward more strain is put on the child’s neck to hold the head back. As we all know a baby’s and toddler’s head is much larger compared to their little bodies. Another strain is put on the spinal cord due to the head being tossed forward and the straps holding back their body. In some cases this can cause the spinal cord to break. Picture the rear facing car seat and the forward facing. If you picture the way the rear facing car seat cradles the head you can see how less strain would be put on the head, neck, and shoulders.

Now one thing I thought of when debating was in a rear facing car seat crash would the child’s legs get hurt or broken. According to some of the information I read (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/121/3/619) there is no data to support the child is more likely to sustain injury to the legs more than a forward facing. Of course it does happen but nothing says it happens more. When you think about the idea, it makes sense because in forward facing the child’s legs could easily hit off another passenger or seat and sustain injury. Of course another reason some people do not option to keep a seat rear facing is their child gets bored. But by packing things such as books, toys, and things for your child to do that may help with the boredom.

In the end it always comes down to a choice do you keep your child’s seat rear facing longer or turn them around for a better view. Personally, I feel the data and suggestions given by reliable organizations shows it is much safer to keep your children in a rear facing position when it comes to the car as long as possible.

Here is a video I came across on YouTube showing some effects.

References

Aldana, Karen. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. n.d. 23 March 2011 .

B Henary, C P Sherwood, J R Crandall, R W Kent, F Vaca, K B Arbogast, M J Bull. Injury Prevention:Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection. 28 August 2007. 19 March 2011 .

CPSafety: Rear-facing - Unmatched Safety. 2001-2010. 21 March 2011 .

Marilyn J. Bull, MDa, Dennis R. Durbin, MD, MSCEb. Rear-Facing Car Safety Seats: Getting the Message Right. 11 December 2007. 20 March 2011 .

Safety Benefits Of Rear Facing. 2008-2009. 19 March 2011 .

TryggTrafikkNorge. You Tube video: Rear facing vs forward facing position in the car . 9 July 2010. 19 March 2011 .

Being young and pregnant

“I can’t be a mom, I’m still living with mine! “
      When I turned 18 and shortly after graduated from High School, having a baby was far from on my mind. I thought I was just going to enjoy my new found freedom going to college and mooching off of my family for a while longer so that I wouldn’t have to grow up too fast. I figured I was going to take my time and wait till I graduated college before starting a new life of my own. Shortly after my first semester of college however, I had a shocking surprise that made me realize that things weren’t going to go as planned. I was going to have to grow up a lot faster then I had ever imagined when I realized that I was going to have a baby.
      When I first found out my initial reaction was to cry. I didn’t know what I was going to do. So many questions and concerns ran through my mind. Luckily I had my very supportive boyfriend to calm me down a bit and help me realize that we could do this together. Though still scared out of my mind I knew that no matter what I wanted to keep the baby and that sooner then later I had to tell my mother. She had my brother when she was only 16 and I came only a year after so I figured even though she would be crushed to hear the news, she would be supportive. But that didn’t help the fact that I was still terrified to tell her.
      Eventually the news came out in the middle of McDonald’s parking lot and then it all really began. Soon the whole family knew and the hardest part of it all was the fact that they didn’t know how to react. Pregnancy is one of those things where you want to hear the words “Congratulations!” But being so young no one really knew what to say. They asked questions like “Are you planning on keeping it?”, “Are you still with the father?”, and “How do you feel about it?” Once they got all the information they needed I got the congratulations but usually it only came following the words “Well then I guess”. Every so often I would get a meaningful congrats, but people were still scared for me.
      Luckily after a 9 week ultrasound picture and a couple of weeks for it to all really sink in, everyone started to calm down and actually become excited for a new baby in the family! My mother started thinking about what grandma name she wanted to be called cause in her opinion she was to young for Grandma. My boyfriends mom started buying diapers so that we would already have a collection before the baby even came. And everyone else would tell me about all the adorable baby clothes they saw when they went grocery shopping.
      Now over halfway through the pregnancy most of our family and friends are excited for the new baby. We now know the sex is a boy and everyone is already buying us adorable little outfits. Though they are all still very scared for me they give me a lot of support. My mother is planning on babysitting whenever I need it for college cause her biggest concern is for me to still get a good education, something that didn’t work out for her when she was out of high school with a baby. But no one forgets to remind me that its going to be hard having a baby. Though at times its still very hard just being pregnant at such a young age, I’m excited for my new son and I know I wouldn’t be able to get through it without the support of everyone. -By Nicole Shaffer

Interview with Julie Grejtak: A Child Development Expert

          For this particular blog, I spoke with a child development expert, with hopes she would be able to answer some questions many parents struggle to answer themselves. Julie Grejtak graduated from IUP, with a plethora of information to share.

Question #1: What are some ways to “discipline” a toddler in a positive way?

Like the rest of us, young children learn by doing, so when your child throws his bowl of peas off the highchair tray, for example, it's because he's curious to see what will happen, not because he wants to upset you or mess up your clean kitchen floor.

Action: Your toddler's made a mess under her highchair. When they are finished eating, lift them up, set them on the floor, and ask them to hand you some peas so they’re "helping" you take care of it. Talk to the child about what you're doing: "Okay, we made a mess with the peas so we have to clean it up."  With that said, you don't have to stand by while your child does something you don't like. And you definitely don't want to stand by if your little one's grabbing for something dangerous. Take the object away or physically move your baby away from it. Then give them a safe, less-messy or less-destructive alternative. Substituting something else will prevent a meltdown. Make sure you explain what you're doing to your child, even if they’re too young to really understand. You're teaching a fundamental discipline lesson that some behaviors aren't acceptable, and that you'll be redirecting them when necessary.

Emphasize the positive! Tell your child when you like how he's behaving, rather than speaking up only when he's doing something wrong. It takes a bit of practice to get in the habit of rewarding good behavior rather than punishing bad, but it's more effective in the end.

Real-life application: It's nap time, a potential battle zone with your sometimes resistant toddler. Head it off by praising even small steps: "It's so great that you stopped playing with your blocks when I asked you to. That means we have extra time and can read a story. If you lie down right away, we'll have even more time and can read two stories." Keep praising each improvement they makes even in their nap time routine, and make it worth their while with rewards such as stories or songs!

Question #2: When is the appropriate time to start weaning your child?

1.      Your baby may begin eating solid foods at 4 to 6 months of age.

2.      At this point, you may want to offer cup-feeding to supplement breast or bottle feedings. Over the next 6 months, your baby may show signs that he or she is ready to wean.

3.      Your bottle-fed baby should continue to get nutrition largely from formula until he or she is 12 months old. After that, allowing your child to continue drinking from a bottle may lead to problems such as baby bottle tooth decay.

It is important to switch gradually to the cup! Although some mothers stop breast- or bottle-feedings abruptly, the baby may not be ready. Babies find comfort from sucking and also may need the closeness and comfort breast- or bottle-feeding provides. Always think about your baby's emotional needs, age, and readiness as well as about your own needs, when switching from breast- or bottle-feeding to a cup. Toddlers (ages 1 to 2) may tolerate abrupt weaning better than babies.

Question#3: Of course every parent wants to know their children are safe while they are at work. What are some things new parents should look for when trying to find reliable childcare?

Choosing child care is an important decision. Good child care arrangements can improve the daily lives of children and parents. In addition, children in high quality care can have higher levels of success when they enter school. Yet, it can be difficult and confusing to know what to look for in a program. Many parents feel that having their child feel safe and secure and getting lots of individual attention is the mark of quality child care. A safe, loving, stimulating environment is important! Your child also needs a place to be challenged to learn, reach his potential and eventually prepare for elementary school.

Whether you are considering a commercial day care center or one in someone's home, you should check it out carefully. Ask questions of the staff, and talk to parents of other children at the day care center. Look over the center carefully! These are questions that you would want to ask during an interview.

• What are the training requirements for staff members?
• Are all staff members certified in basic first aid?
• Are all staff members trained in child development?
• Are all staff members trained in preventing illness and injury?

• Does the center have rules about careful and frequent hand-washing? This is key to reduce the spread of illness among the children. All staff members must wash their hands each time they diaper a child and before fixing meals or snacks.
• Are poison control phone numbers and ambulance phone numbers clearly posted?
• Does the playground have impact-absorbing surfaces, such as wood chips, under the swings and slides?
• Are the children protected from strangers?
• Are fire drills held at least every month?
• Are there smoke alarms throughout the building?
• Are safety gates used in areas for small children?
• Are electric outlets covered?
• Are sharp corners of furniture covered?
• Are the toys kept clean? Washable toys should be washed every day with a disinfectant cleaner, such as Lysol or a solution of water and bleach.
• Does the day care staff regularly clean all surfaces with disinfectant?

A special thanks to Ms. Grejtak for giving our readers an insight on how to deal with situations we parents have to deal with on a day to day basis. I found all of this information very useful and have even applied some if not all of it to raising my son.  

Teaching Teens Responsibility~Choice Theory

When the superior man knows the causes which make instruction successful, and those which make it of no effect, he can be a teacher of others. Thus in his teaching, he leads and does not drag; he strenghtens and does not discourage; he opens the way but does not conduct to the end without the learners own efforts.

• Leading and not dragging produces harmony.



• Leading and not discouraging makes attainment easy.



• Opening the way and not conducting to the end makes the learner thoughtful.

He who produces harmony, easy attainment, and thoughtfulness may be pronounced a skillful teacher.

--- Confucius

BOOK XVI HSIO KI (Record on subject of education)

We are not only parents, we are our childrens teacher. They learn from our actions and what we teach them. They are learning when we don't even realize they are watching. Young children are very observant and they notice every little thing about the people around them. Their brains are like sponges, so they remember and act out what they see. In order to be critical about how our children act, we must be aware of how and where they leaened that particular behavior. If we come across as impatient or frusterated, then thats what we get from them.

Communication is the key to raising a responsible child. Learning how to communicate effectively, just means, learn to listen. Bend down or sit at their level and listen to what they have to say. The reward will last through their teen and adult lives. It is hard to imagine them as adults, but it will come sooner than we want it to.

We all want our children to become responsible teens and adults. For this to become reality, we should start teaching them at a very young age. Start giving them responsibilities when they are old enough to walk. We should teach them to clean up after themselves, starting with their toy's. Children should know that when they are finished they should put them in the toy box. At about the age of 3-4 y/o we should let them help tidy up their room and when they start school, set aside an hour in the evening for homework or just to study what they are learning in school. Always praise them for an accomplishment. This doesn't need to be loud and long, just a "nice job!" or "good work!" means means a lot.

Dr. William Glasser is a well known Psygologist. He has written five books on applying the concepts Choice Theory - a new and empowering explaination of human behavior, which states that we should not use the seven deadly habits, but the seven caring habits.

~Seven Deadly Habits;

• Criticizing


• Blaming


• Complaining


• Nagging


• Threatening


• Punishing (Right!)


• Bribing (Rewarding to control.)

~Seven Caring Habits

• Supporting


• Encouraging


• Listening


• Accepting


• Trusting


• Respecting


• Negotiating Differences

The punishing, I don't agree should be in there, but most of his information is an interesting method. This method explains that children are taught that coercion has no place in a civilized world. They cannot be coerced to learn, nor can they be forced to behave in a responsible manner. The theory suggests that the choice to behave responsibly is just that, "a choice".

Dr. Glasser also encourages school teachers to be involved in this process. He explains the teachers role in teaching a child and teen responsibility. After all they are with our children eight hours a day, five days a week, nine months out of the year. They are with our child just about as much as we are, waking hour that is. I never really thought of it that way. Maybe I should have, some parents probably do, if you don't, maybe you should. It is very important to communicate with your child's teacher. We should know at all times what our child is doing and how he or she is doing in school. This makes our child understand how important an education is, because if mommy is interested in it, it must be important.

There are several different parenting stratigies to teaching responsibilities and we try a lot of them, because the same one doesn't work for everyone, or every child, if it did, parenting would be so much easier. I got this information from Family.com, Dr. William Glasser Institute.com and Babycenter.com. I know what your thinking, my boy's are hardly babies. Well, this website is for all ages. Besides, my boys will always be my babies.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

When my daughter was born the nurse had me watch a video about SIDS and sign a paper verifying. I really didn’t watch the video because my fiancés mom had told me a lot about SIDS and the prevention of it. However, the more I hear about it on the news the more I felt like doing my own research on it.

What is SIDS?

SIDS stands for sudden infant death syndrome. It is the leading cause of death in the United States for children one month to one year. The diagnosis of SIDS is decided after the person doing the autopsy has ruled all other possibilities out. Most cases of SIDS happen in a child between the age of two months and four months.

What Causes SIDS?

The truth is no one really knows what causes sudden infant death syndrome. Though there are many theories. One theory I read about is the idea of toxic gases in our children’s mattresses. It is very scary to think of that as a possibility and that theory has not been disproven or decided on. The idea stems from the chemicals in the fire retardant application to the mattress combining with a fungus that can grow in the mattress creating a toxic chemical. The toxic chemical is thought to lie along the surface of the mattress where the baby breathes it in. According, to this theory the idea the baby was poisoned would not show up in the autopsy.

Another theory is the idea of the child’s neck muscles being weak. If you lay your baby on his or her stomach and they put their face flat down in the bed there muscles are still very weak. It could be a possibility that the baby was unable to lift or turns its head. Some people believe immunizations cause SIDS. Others believe smoking or drinking when falling asleep holding the child. The theories go on and on, the truth is at this time there is no definitive answer to why babies are dying from SIDS. There is plenty of research going on and hopefully in the future society will come up with an answer.

For now there are many things you can do to. Please refer to the list below

· Be sure to visit the doctors while pregnant for regular check ups. Low birth weight and prematurity are two more risk factors for SIDS.

· Never let your child sleep on their stomach. If you are worried about them developing a flat head, you can and should do supervised tummy time during the day. Tummy time promotes the developing of babies neck and shoulder muscles. But remember it should always be supervised.

· Use a firm mattress for your child’s bed

· Don’t use blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, bumpers, etc... in your babies bed. If you think your child is cold you can turn up the thermostat a little, or dress them a little warmer. One of the ways I would dress my daughter warmer for winter time is put a long sleeve onesie under her sleeper. There’s also lullabags sold by cloud B and many similar products out there.

· Don’t put so much clothing on your child that they overheat. One way of doing this is by controlling the temperature in the room and watching for signs of your baby being extra warm example sweating.

· Keep your child’s crib in your bedroom until they reach at least 6 months of age.

· Do not smoke, drink, or use drugs when pregnant. According to information I came across children of mothers who smoked when pregnant were three times as likely to die from SIDS.

· Breastfeeding is ideal. Some research found breastfeeding was likely to reduce the risk of SIDS.

· Put your child to sleep with a pacifier. Some studies found pacifiers lowered the chance of SIDS.

These seem to be the most common recommendations for decreasing your child’s chance of SIDS. There are many more out there. Be sure to discuss anything you have decided on with anyone who may be babysitting your child. This way they are aware if you don’t want blankets in the crib or smoking around your child. I find SIDS to be a very scary idea. Mostly the idea that they really don’t know what causes it. For more information you can always call your pediatrician.

References

Floyd R. Livingston Jr., MD. Kids Health / Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 1995-2011. 13 March 2011 .

Institute, American SIDS. American SIDS Institute. 1983-2009. 13 March 2011 .

Sheppard, Jane. Has the Cause of Crib Death Been Found? n.d. 13 March 2011 .